Applications for common election symbols for TN Assembly elections to open from Nov 11

CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced that applications for common election symbols for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections can be submitted from November 11, signalling the formal start of the State’s poll preparations.

As part of the pre-election groundwork, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will be carried out across Tamil Nadu throughout November, and the final voters’ list is scheduled to be published in January 2026. The Assembly election will be conducted based on this revised roll.

In a recent review meeting, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik held one-on-one discussions with an Election Commissioner of India to assess Tamil Nadu’s preparedness for the upcoming polls. During the meeting, the ECI was briefed on the State’s academic schedule, including the Class X and XII board examinations set for March and April 2026.

Sources in the Election Commission indicated that the poll notification could be issued between February and early March 2026, soon after the Pongal festival. The Commission is reportedly planning to complete polling within a month, likely in April 2026, and announce the results by the first week of May.

Political parties have urged the Commission to avoid conducting elections on weekends, pointing out that urban voter turnout, particularly in Chennai, tends to decline during holidays. The ECI is said to be considering weekday polling to ensure higher participation.

With the strength of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly currently at 232 members, the ECI’s announcement comes as the State gears up for an election year.

The present DMK-led government, headed by Chief Minister M K Stalin, assumed office on May 7, 2021, and the Assembly’s five-year tenure is due to end on May 10, 2026.